High above Ponyville the cloud home floated, liquid rainbows cascading down the home's façade to the ground below. While awe-inspiring to the earth ponies and unicorns living below, it would be considered ostentatious in the owner's native town of Cloudsdale. But Rainbow Dash believed in making a bold statement, and that wasn't limited to only her actions and abilities.
Inside the house, however, the pegasus was currently anything but bold. She paced back and forth, indecisively, returning periodically to the book sitting on her dining room table.
She flipped through the book awkwardly. It was a scrapbook, filled with images from her youth. It had arrived at her house on her birthday six months earlier, a gift from her parents. Three years worth of birthday cards, Hearth's Warming cards, and even a get well card from when she had been hospitalized sat alongside the scrapbook. They were making an effort but she had continued to ignore it. What she couldn't ignore was the paper confirming her prepaid reservation for three to Cloudsdale's most exclusive restaurant for later that night. The problem was she hadn't made that reservation.
Still undecided on what to do she opened her front door and stretched her wings. There was only one thing to do – nothing cleared her head like a good flight. She soared through the air, the wind streaming through her rainbow-colored locks. Memories played through her head as she flew.
"Where do rainbows come from?"
Windy Whistles pulled a book from a shelf in the living room. "Why don't we see what the expert on all things rainbow has to say about the subject?" Rainbow Dash snuggled against her mom as she read the pages in front of her. Dash was still too young to read so she just looked at the pictures and listened to her mother's soothing voice. She fell asleep before learning the answer.
Rainbow Dash buzzed the library. She was rewarded by Twilight Sparkle opening the window and shaking a hoof at her. She grinned. The grin quickly faded to a frown as she realized Twilight reminded her of her mom. They were both eggheads, always reading. "Blah." She soared higher, to put as much as distance between herself and those thoughts as possible.
Rainbow Dash pranced on the stage in front of a crowd of several hundred ponies. She was wearing a frilly dress that had more ruffles than she could count. She stuck to the choreographed routine she had practiced so many times previously. Hooves stamped in approval as she trotted back down the runway. Her hair was perfect, and several layers of makeup highlighted her rainbow mane. She stood nervously waiting for the announcement of the pageant's winner.
"You did a great job out there. You're a natural, sweetie." Windy nuzzled her. "Who's the best model in all of Equestria?"
"Me! Thanks Mama! Do you think I won?"
"I think you have a good chance."
"Only a chance?" Rainbow Dash pouted.
Her mom laughed, Rainbow's little pout was adorable. "It's not about winning or losing, it's about having fun and feeling pretty. You had fun, right?"
"Lots! And I definitely feel pretty!"
"Well then stop pouting. Otherwise your face might freeze that way and you'd never win a pageant ever again."
"No!" Rainbow quickly returned to smiling. "Is this better?"
"Yes. Your face could freeze that way and the world would be a better place for it. You have a beautiful smile."
"Awww, you're just sayin' that, Mama."
Whatever Windy Whistles was about to say in response was lost as a booming voice announced the winner of the pageant. "Rainbow Dash!"
The cyan pegasus filly grinned and fluttered in the air. She zipped out onto the runway to accept her award.
Rainbow sighed. There was a time when she actually enjoyed the parading around in pageants. It had gotten old fast – there was just no good competition there. Rainbow-colored manes and tails were a very rare recessive gene and they gave her an unfair advantage. Her mom had entered her in dozens of pageants and she hadn't lost a single one. She flew over Sweet Apple Acres, the trees below her rustling their leaves in her wake.
"You call that special? Ha! With your monochromatic mane you've got as much chance of winning as Vanhoover has at winning the national hoofball championship against Seaddle!"
"Rainbow Dash."
The filly turned to face her mother. Disappointment showed in her eyes as she scolded her daughter. "What do you think you're doing?"
"Just doing a little trash-talking. It's what all the players do in those hoofball games daddy goes to."
"Hoofball and beauty pageants are very different. If you'd rather start playing hoofball, I'm sure your father would be happy to arrange that for you. But you can't do both. Hoofball is very violent and you'll find yourself bruised and battered. Makeup isn't going to cover all that up."
"Is it harder?"
"Very," her mom answered.
"Good, sign me up. This is too easy."
She landed in an apple tree as she fought tears at the memory. Her mom had refused to hold her back, but she knew that it had pained her when she stopped being mommy's beautiful little filly and instead turned into daddy's little sports star. Looking back, the pageants had only whetted her appetite for competition, but they weren't challenging enough for her liking. She wanted to earn a win through hard work, not just on her natural looks. Natural looks that she was the first to admit she had let go in her quest to be the best flyer of all time. There was no doubt she could be a model if she chose, a fact Rarity reminded her of periodically. But that was what her mom had wanted for her, and though painful to admit, it was blatantly obvious that she was living vicariously through her daughter.
She sat up as she heard one of the Apple family approaching. She couldn't let them see her like this! She shot off the branch she was laying on in a rainbow blur. She briefly toyed with heading towards Fluttershy's cottage. If there was anyone she could count on to talk about her deepest secrets it was her oldest and shyest friend. The problem was she had a sinking suspicion that the yellow pegasus had made the dinner reservation for her – she still blamed herself for what had happened that eventually caused the rift in Dash's family. No, it would be best if she returned home, crawled under her blankets, and forgot that this day ever happened.
As she flew over Ponyville towards her house she felt a gentle tug on her tail. She looked back and saw it was being grasped in a blue magical aura. She looked down and saw she was directly over Carousel Boutique. She cringed. "Oh no."
"Rainbow darling, you're right on time for your appointment!"
"What appointment?"
"The one you made a few weeks ago. Something about needing to look fabulous for a special dinner. First we'll take a quick trip to the spa and then we'll find the right outfit for you. And I know I can do wonders with your mane." Rarity squeed. "I just love working with you!"
"This is fighting dirty, Fluttershy," Rainbow thought as she was gradually tugged to the ground by the unicorn's magic. She followed Rarity towards the spa, resisting the urge to bolt. There was no escape now – Rarity wouldn't let her get away that easily.
The spa twins stifled giggles of glee as Rainbow Dash entered. They had been waiting just as long as Rarity to get their hooves on her. Rainbow Dash sighed and resigned herself to her fate. Aloe started massaging Rainbow Dash as Lotus Blossom preened her wings.
"Doesn't that feel good, Rainbow, darling?"
"No comment."
"Take her lack of protesting as a compliment, girls."
The twins nodded in acknowledgement and continued working on their reluctant client. Rainbow's hair was washed and then she soaked in the spa. Rarity remained by her side the whole time, talking about all the things she was going to do to her once they got back to the boutique. Ten minutes into her allotted half hour of time in the mineral water, a small splash on her other side alerted Rainbow Dash to the presence of another pony. She opened her eyes to discover Fluttershy next to her.
"Um, hi Rainbow Dash."
"You!"
Fluttershy blushed. "You, uh, you're angry with me, aren't you." Her ears swiveled and she shrank down into the water as much as possible.
"I'm not angry. I'm just annoyed with you."
"Rainbow, darling, if you need to be annoyed with somepony you should really direct it towards me. I may have pried some information out of Fluttershy and I might have made some arrangements accordingly."
"Says the pony who's embarrassed by her own parents."
"Be that as it may be, they're still my parents, Rainbow. I do care for them deeply and I'll be taking them and Sweetie Belle out to dinner later to celebrate Mother's Day."
"I'm taking my parents out later too," Fluttershy added. "They, um, they talk to your parents you know. Your parents miss you."
"I know they miss me. But they should've thought about that before they kicked me out."
"They only had your best interests in mind."
"And so do I. And I aim to keep it that way. I don't need my parents cramping my style," Rainbow lied through gritted teeth. "They made their choice and they need to live with the consequences."
"But can you?"
Rainbow turned to look at Rarity. "What do you mean?"
"You hardly sound like you're okay with this situation. Why I'd even go so far as to say that you sound like you're in denial about not missing them."
"I never said I don't miss them."
"Then forgive me for not seeing the problem here."
"It sounds like Miss Dash is just being as stubborn as usual," Aloe said.
Rainbow Dash glared at the pink pony and she quickly retreated.
"She has a point," Fluttershy squeaked.
"You know what? I don't need this. I'm outta here." She hopped out of the hot tub but her wings were still wet so she was unable to generate enough lift to get off the ground. Before she could shake them dry she found herself once more in Rarity's magical grasp.
"Not so fast, darling. I've paid for you to get the works and you're going to get the full works." Rarity grinned. "And next up is the pedicure."
Rainbow's eyes went wide and her face fell. "No. Anything but that."
Rarity levitated a towel over to the prismatic pegasus and started drying her off. "Oh yes, you must look your absolute best. Why, if you don't go out to dinner I'll just have to draft you into a modelling session. It would be a shame to waste all this effort and all the bits Fluttershy and I have already spent, no?" Rarity pulled on Dash's tail and dragged her along behind her. "Now come along, Rainbow dear." Rainbow Dash flapped her wings and galloped as fast as her legs would carry her but she only managed to slow down the speed at which she was being dragged in the opposite direction.
Rarity restrained her friend on a table as the twins set to work on her hooves with their files. Quite unexpectedly, Rainbow Dash started laughing uncontrollably. "Stop it... I'm...extremely....ticklish..." she said between laughs.
Rarity grinned maliciously. "Such good information to know." She levitated one of the feathers that had been preened from Rainbow's wings earlier and started tickling one of her free hooves.
"H...hey! No....fair!"
"Life's not fair, Rainbow darling. You should know that by now."
Still restrained by the unicorn's magical aura, all Rainbow Dash could do was alternate between laughing and gasping for breath. "I'll...get....you....for.....this..."
"Promises, promises." Rarity continued tickling Rainbow's right front hoof. Fluttershy plucked one of her own feathers and started tickling her friend's last remaining free hoof.
"You too?"
"I'm sorry. It just looks like so much fun. I...I just can't help it."
Forty minutes later Rainbow Dash's hooves were filed and painted. Rarity released her grasp on Rainbow Dash and the cyan pegasus sprawled out on the table, panting for breath.
"That wasn't so bad, now was it?" Rainbow glared at Fluttershy but said nothing.
"I do believe we got so caught up in your ticklishness that we're running a little behind schedule. Fabulosity waits for nopony! To the boutique!" Rarity's aura scooped up Rainbow Dash and she levitated the pegasus behind her as she and Fluttershy trotted to Carousel Boutique. She gently deposited Rainbow in the dressing room and levitated the dress she had picked out well in advance for this occasion into the changing room. She would have preferred to put Rainbow Dash through several outfit changes before 'discovering' the perfect one but there was no time for such shenanigans at the moment. Shoes and accessories followed the dress into the changing room and Rainbow groaned at how girly they were.
"I'm going to need some help getting into this thing."
Fluttershy entered the changing room and patted her on the withers. "You're going to look gorgeous when Rarity's done. It's all going to work out, Rainbow Dash. And I'll finally set this wrong right."
"You never did anything wrong, Fluttershy."
The timid mare pressed a hoof against Rainbow's mouth. "Hush now. It was my fault. We both know what caused your expulsion from flight school."
"Those bullies were going to hurt you. That certainly wasn't your fault. I did what I did because I care about you. I wouldn't do it again differently even if I had the chance."
"But if you had graduated flight school, you'd still be on speaking terms with your parents, and you'd probably already be a Wonderbolt too. I... I ruined your life, Rainbow. I wasn't worth it."
It was Rainbow Dash's turn to put a hoof to Fluttershy's lips. "Yes you were, and yes you still are. I've never blamed you for what happened and I wish you'd stop blaming yourself."
"I will if you go tonight. If you won't do it for yourself, do it for me. Please?"
Rainbow turned away. She had learned a long time ago that looking into Fluttershy's eyes could make a pony promise her anything.
"Of course if you'd rather be my fabulous new model for the next week, I'm all for it," Rarity's singsong voice floated from the other side of the door.
A one-two punch. Fluttershy's pleading and Rarity's threats. "Fine. I'll do it."
"The modelling?" Rarity asked with a hopeful voice.
"The dinner."
Rarity and Fluttershy cheered as Rainbow sulked. White and yellow hooves armed with makeup attacked her but she hardly noticed them.
"If you're going to live under this roof you need to go back to school."
"You really need to make up your mind. Three months ago you told me to get a job or go back to flight school. So I got a job."
"Your father and I really hoped you'd return to school."
"I was expelled. I can't just go back."
"There are other schools..."
"None as good as that one. A diploma from any of the others is useful only if you're in need of toilet paper. I want to be in the Wonderbolts someday. And I've got a better shot achieving that if I strike out on my own than if I get a degree from Gusty's School For Inadequate Flyers."
"I think you mean Gusty's School Of Flight."
"Call it whatever you want to, everyone in Cloudsdale knows what it really is. A diploma mill for weak flyers. Most of whom get dead-end jobs in the weather factory making clouds."
"Fluttershy's father makes clouds."
Dash rolled her eyes. "I rest my case. So I guess I'll be leaving now. Some eighteenth birthday present this was."
"Rainbow, wait."
Dash slammed the door behind her and took to the sky.
"Equestria to Rainbow Dash." Rarity waved a hoof in front of Dash's eyes.
"Huh?"
"I asked how do you like it?" Rarity held a mirror in front of her so Rainbow Dash could inspect the unicorn's handiwork.
"That's me?"
"Indeed!"
"But I look beautiful."
"That was sort of the idea, Rainbow dear."
"I just can't do this."
"I didn't think 'can't' was in your vocabulary, Rainbow Dash."
"There are lots of words in my vocabulary, Fluttershy."
"You could've fooled me," said Rarity.
"That's not hard to do," Rainbow retorted.
Fluttershy stood between the two ponies. "We don't have time for bickering or self-doubt. We all have dinners to get to. Rainbow Jennifer Dash, you need to go see your parents."
"Jennifer?" Rarity cocked an eyebrow. "I thought your middle name was Danger?"
"It should be. I'll add that as another reason not to go see my parents."
"Nonsense, Jennifer is a beautiful middle name that suits you just fine. Much better than my own."
"Which is?"
Rarity sighed. "Township."
The two pegasi looked at each other.
"My full name is Raritan Township Belle. My parents were on vacation in Neigh Jersey at the time so they named me after where I was born. You can probably guess I had some influence with my sister's name. Sweetie isn't quite what I wanted, but it's a lot better than what it could have been."
"You've really made that name your own regardless."
"Yes, I have. And if I can forgive my parents for such a tasteless atrocity of a name, you can forgive your parents for whatever excuses you've been using."
"You're right." Rainbow Dash hugged her two friends. "One last question."
"What?"
"Are they expecting me?"
"No."
"What if they're not home?"
"They are," Fluttershy assured her. "Your parents never leave the house on Mother's Day or Father's Day in the hope that you'll stop to visit. But just in case, I have one of my bird friends sitting outside their house and if they had left the house for any reason he'd have come to tell me so."
"In other words, a little bird told you?" Rainbow Dash raised a hoof to smack into her forehead but Rarity's magical aura caught it before it could connect.
"Oh no, that would ruin all of this makeup we spent almost an hour applying. And that we don't have time to fix. So off with you!" Rarity shooed the pegasus out of the boutique.
Rainbow Dash flew towards her fillyhood home. It was a slower flight than normal for her. Partially because she was still apprehensive about the meeting, and partially because she didn't want to wreck her new dress or her makeup. Once she arrived at her parents' house she landed and after taking a deep breath, she finally knocked on the door.
The door creaked open and Windy Whistles laid eyes on her daughter for the first time in over three years. "Rainbow?"
"Mom, would you and Dad join me for dinner on this special day?"
"Of course we would be honored to," Windy replied. She grabbed Rainbow Dash with her forelegs and pulled her into a hug. "We've missed you so much."
"I...I've missed you too, Mama." They shared tears of joy as they embraced. "Happy Mother's Day."
Author's Note
This was written well before Parental Glidance debuted. Suffice it to say that episode covered a lot of the same ground in a completely different manner. I've done some editing to make this story conform to canon. The events here reconcile Dash to her parents before the events of Parental Glidance (and before she's accepted to the Wonderbolts). Of course reconciliation doesn't necessarily mean keeping them informed on what's going on in her life... setting the stage for Scootaloo to spill the beans.
